Public asked to weigh in on new St. Paul’s Hospital concepts

Providence Healthcare announced officially that it would vacate the century old hospital site on Burrard St. last spring

Providence Healthcare has released a pair of new concept designs for the planned St. Paul’s health campus on the False Creek Flats.

The designs are titled “Urban Court,” and “Pedestrian Spine,” with the key difference being the orientation of the main hospital building and the form that public space will take.

The concepts also offer a new look at the basic building blocks of the health campus.

The proposals include a mental health facility, dedicated research facility, outpatient clinics, along with a medical office, hotel, and retail spaces.

Clinical Planning Physician Lead Dr. Jeff Pike says the idea is to build more than just a hospital.

“A campus of care, which involves a seamless and patient centred experience for patients from home, right through their experience of illness in the hospital system and the healthcare campus and back to home again.”

Both concepts envision ambulance access to the ER via Malkin and/ or National avenue. Currently, neither street is a functional connector, but the city is weighing both of them as potential new arterials once the viaducts are removed.

Providence Healthacare says those details have yet to be worked out with the city, and that planners are consulting with the BC Ambulance Service as to what will work best for first repsonders.

“This is a generational opportunity to create something incredibly special, not only from a healthcare standpoint but for the city as a community driver of wellness and vibrancy. Also for what it’s going to mean for connecting that part of the city to the eastern half and western half.”

The city of Vancouver held a first open house on the designs this week, and will be holding a second one Wednesday, June 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Thornton Park at the Vancouver Farmers Market.

The public is also being invited to weigh in on the concepts through an online survey.

Pike says the goal is to have the core concept settled by September.

“The plan is to have settled on a single design that will inform the city in terms of their policy positions and statement this fall.”

Concept 1: “Urban Court”

Providence Healthcare

This design features the main hospital building and ER structured along Malkin street, with an open “urban court” on a newly extended Gore St. for vehicle drop off and outdoor patient use.

Concept 2: “Pedestrian Spine”

Providence Healthcare

In the second design, the main hospital building is oriented north-south, creating a “pedestrian spine” envisioned as a public walking area and “commercial high street” lined with retail. Multiple skybridges connect the research facility and outpatient clinics to hospital offices across a newly extended Gore St.

Timeline of St. Paul’s relocation / Providence Healthcare

Billion dollar project

Providence announced the new hospital in April of last year, with an anticipated price tag of $1.2-billion. The 18.5 acre site on Station St. in the False Creek flats was purchased back in 2005.

The new campus will include a higher percentage of single patient rooms, something experts say will help stem the spread of infections. It will also include a dedicated mental health facility, along with what are being pitched as state of the art research capabilities. The move will also remove the need to upgrade the currently crumbling, century year old Burrard st. hospital.

Critics of the relocation say they’re concerned about the loss of urgent care facilities downtown, with residents of the West End, Coal Harbour, and Yaletown undeserved. Critics also they say they fear the lack of capacity in the face of a major emergency in the downtown core.

Some critics have also warned the move could jack up land values near the new campus, forcing residents out of the SROs that line Main St. in the area.